Political Battle in the National Capital

Elections to Delhi State Assembly are due in February, 2015. Looking to the perceived impressions on the efficacy of BJP leaders and workers in the capital and the desire of the Prime Minister and BJP's national President not to get involved directly in the fight with AAP headed by Arvind Kejriwal the ruling party in the Centre has been forced by circumstances to induct a few opponents from the camp of Anna Hazare to fight among their own friends as opponents and divert the public outcry on the PM's capacity to face the AAP leader. It is a master stroke on their part at the last minute to place the burden on the shoulders of Kiran Bedi sidelining the role and aspirations of several leaders who have been with and working for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the last 2-3 decades.

Now the fight is between two retired bureaucrats Kejriwal and Kiran who more or less enjoy a similar reputation as far as their personal integrity in monetary terms is concerned. Kiran claims to have 40 years experience in police administration and 26 years in an NGO while Arvind claims to have retired voluntarily after serving as Commissioner of Income Tax for a few years. Kiran had done one or two assignments that brought her recognition and award - like lifting automobiles parked in prohibited areas through cranes in her initial posting as traffic in charge in the capital and few improvements in the working of Tihar Jail in Delhi. I am sure her lady successors in IPS have done an equally better service or little more than her in their assignments in various states of course without much self publicity consistently like Kiran in their heydays. Arvind of course has done no such memorable service in his department although he claims to have remained honest in his tenure. Anybody else in his position would have done a remarkable service by catching big fishes in tax evasion. It seems he was collecting facts and figures about other officials and politicians in their dealings through RTI Act and running an NGO to get an early award for his service.

Both seem to have nurtured an ambition for quite sometime to play a leading role in politics eventually. Hence their proximity to Anna Hazare in Jan Lokpal Movement. The poor old man is left in the lurch to fend for himself in his mission.

One of them will be the Chief Minister of Delhi next month while the other will sit in opposition and try to remain in public eye and catching headlines everyday both in the print and electronic media.

Let us wait and watch the developments that would unfold quickly in a few weeks time.

+++++++++++++++++++